Long Riston Playing Fields Committee

Update for Long Riston Residents – Village Hall

We would like to update residents on recent developments regarding the Village Hall.

Following a short-notice Parish Council meeting about the potential closure of the Village Hall, all Parish Councillors and the Clerk subsequently resigned.

We hope this marks the end of what has been a challenging eighteen months, during which a significant amount of volunteer time was diverted away from our core charitable work in order to respond to enquiries and clarify our position.

For clarity, responsibility for the Village Hall has sat with the Parish Council since 1991, when the former Village Hall Committee disbanded, and the Parish Council formally agreed, as recorded in its minutes, to assume management of the facility. At that time, additional funds were added to the precept to cover ongoing costs. The Playing Fields Committee has not been responsible for the Village Hall at any time.

Over recent years, discussions around funding and governance have required substantial input from our volunteers, which has had a noticeable impact on our charity’s time and resources.

Looking ahead, we have been encouraged by the formation of a new community group arising from efforts to prevent the Village Hall’s closure, and we hope this will help ensure the Hall continues to serve residents. We also look forward to a new Parish Council being elected in the coming weeks and to establishing a constructive working relationship, as existed prior to the May 2023 elections.

We would like to thank everyone who has offered support and shared historical information, including long-standing community members who provided valuable context. We are also grateful to our Ward Councillors for their time, guidance, and support during this period.

Our focus now returns fully to our charitable objectives, with our current priority being the replacement of the Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA), alongside ongoing work to maintain and improve the playing fields. Where appropriate, we will also offer support to the Village Hall committee to help ensure its success.

Thank you for your continued support.

Long Riston Playing Fields (charity number 523268)

https://www.justgiving.com/page/long-riston-playing-fields-muga